The Rural Voice, 2005-02, Page 37News in Agriculture
Farms must requalify with next generation EFP
The more than 50 per cent of modifying or purchasing new
Ontario farm families who have manure -management equipment and
taken the course for the the services of certified consultants.
Environmental Farm Plan will have In the field farmers can get
to take new "next generation" funding for modifications or
courses in order to qualify for various purchase of conservation tillage
government cost -share funding equipment, construction of berms and
programs. more. Around the farmstead there
"Today we're all starting fresh," can be funding for upgrading water
explained Andy Graham, program wells and spill containment.
manager with Ontario Soil and Crop EFP completion will be required
Improvement Association at Grey- for funding for a piece of Ontario's
Bruce Farmers Week crops day, share of $15 million under the federal
January 10. green cover program. There are three
Most of the old EFP program is programs managed by OSCIA:
included in the new federally -backed technical assistance, riparian
program but much has changed since management and trees, windbreaks
the 1996 EFP design. The educa- and shelter belts. The riparian
tional portion of the nation-wide plan management category will provide
was based on Ontario's ground- up to 50 per cent funding for farmers
breaking experience but the incentive creating permanent grass and tree
programs are based more on western buffer strips along watercourses. If
Canadian experience, Graham said. farmers can get grants from other
The financial possibilities for programs as well, the federal grant
those completing the program are remains the same.
much higher than the $1,500 There is also 50 per cent funding
incentive in the old Ontario program. for the establishment of tree belts and
Now farmers can get 30-50 per cent windbreaks. Graham said OSCIA had
funding up to $30,000 for argued for payments to farmers for
implementing a number of beneficial the loss of cropping opportunities for
best management practices. Farmers land taken up by buffers and
can get funding for manure storages, windbreaks but was unsuccessful.
Perth, Huron still one-two in pork
production, producers numbers
Perth County continues to lead Grey -Bruce currently has only
Huron in • a neck -and -neck 286 producers, down from 318 a year
competition to be the number one ago but the number of hogs marketed
pork producing county in Ontario, increased to 249,160 from 222,287.
though Huron continues to have Wellington has 328 producers, down
more pork farmers. from 345 and marketed 404,909,
Bruce Bergsma, Ontario Pork down from 412,031. Oxford has 333
director for Huron released figures at producers, a reduction from 361 in
the annual meeting of the Huron 2004 with hog marketings down to
County Pork Producers January 20 638,478 from 658,408 in 2003.
showing the number of producers in Middlesex has 234 producers, just
his county dropped to 558 from 570 a one down from the year previous.
year earlier, while the number of pigs Lambton has 173 producers, down
marketed stood at 923,233, down from 181 in 2003. Dufferin has just
from 924,388. 25 producers, down from 31.
Huron remains the number two Across Ontario there were 3,632
county in pork production with Perth producers in 2004, down from 3,866
sending 929,912 to market last year, as year earlier. They marketed
down from 929,912. Perth had 495 5,398,216 million pigs, up from
producers n 2004, down from 522 a
year earlier. Continued on page 34
All these programs are in the
future but the one that's currently up
and running is the financial
assistance program for nutrient
management plan compliance for
livestock farmers with more than 300
nutrient units.
While there have been many
complaints about the program "I see
(the glass) as being half -full,"
Graham said.
There is $20 million in provincial
funding available to an estimated
1200 farmers who must complete a
nutrient management strategy and
plan under legislation. Grants,
retroactive to projects back to May
18, 2004 cover 25 to 45 per cent of
costs up to a total of $30,000.
Although federal participation
isn't confirmed yet, Graham said
additional federal funding could take
the cost share up to as much as 75 per
cern and the producer's contribution
could be an in-kind contribution.
Graham said society's
expectations mean the bar keeps
being set higher for farmers. "The
more we can demonstrate the
willingness of farmers to co-operate
voluntarily the more likely we are to
be able to keep away from legislation
that will affect a lot of people."0
'We have to fight for
what we believe in'
— Walker
Continued from page 32
met with Agriculture Minister Steve
Peters and other MPPs. Walker said
the majority of MPPs in attendance
were from urban ridings.
"As producers, consumers, and
industry partners, we have to fight
for what we believe in," said Walker.
Despite all the changes currently
faced by the industry, no one can
lose sight of the end goal. the
rebuilding of the Canadian beef
industry.
"United we stand, divided we fall.
May we have a better year in 2005."
he concluded.°
FEBRUARY 2005 33